In the initial 100 days of their bicameral majority, Republicans have successfully repealed seven regulations set forth by President Joe Biden, with some assistance from President Donald Trump.
These regulations primarily focused on energy-related policies that Republicans contend impose excessive burdens on producers and elevate consumer prices. However, additional regulatory changes are anticipated, according to a report released on Friday. The Washington Times highlighted that the regulations repealed by Republicans thus far include:
An Environmental Protection Agency regulation that imposed a methane emission fee on oil and natural gas facilities, which Republicans argue has hindered domestic energy production, and a stipulation requiring new oil and gas leaseholders on the outer continental shelf to submit an archaeological report prior to commencing offshore drilling operations.
Two regulations from the Energy Department mandating increased energy efficiency standards for gas-fired hot water heaters as well as walk-in coolers and freezers.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) stated, ‘House Republicans are utilizing the Congressional Review Act to assist President Trump in reversing the adverse effects of the Biden Administration’s policies on American energy,’ following the repeal of one of the regulations, as reported by the Times.
The Republican-controlled Congress is poised to revoke additional regulations from the Biden era before the opportunity for expedited action concludes. Legislators are working against a deadline set by the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which permits them to annul executive branch regulations through a streamlined process.
The majority of President Biden’s regulations face a deadline next month. After this date, resolutions under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) may still be proposed, but they will no longer retain their privileged status in the Senate, making them susceptible to filibusters.
In February, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, published a list of ten regulations from the Biden administration that the GOP intends to repeal. To date, both the House and Senate have successfully passed joint resolutions to overturn five regulations from Scalise’s list, along with two additional regulations not initially included.
Furthermore, three more CRA measures, including two from Scalise’s list, have been approved by the House and are pending action in the Senate. Former President Trump has already enacted three CRA resolutions into law, while four others that have passed both chambers are awaiting formal submission to him, as reported by the Times.
Notably, two regulations impacting the oil and gas sector were the first to be enacted into law in March. One of these regulations eliminated the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) methane emission fee, which had been established through the Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act to encourage the oil and gas industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This fee was set to commence at $900 per metric ton of reported methane emissions in 2024, with an increase to $1,500 per metric ton anticipated by 2026.
Four additional CRA measures that have successfully passed through both chambers of Congress are currently pending transmission to the president for his signature, as reported by the Times.
House Republicans have also advanced CRA measures aimed at eliminating consumption limits on commercial refrigerators and freezers, along with certification, labeling, and enforcement requirements for 20 products, which include dishwashers, washing machines, central air conditioners, and heat pumps.
Both resolutions require Senate approval before being forwarded to Trump, with congressional Republicans likely intending to send all four appliance-related measures simultaneously.
Furthermore, the president has not yet received CRA measures aimed at repealing two rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau—one that eliminates new regulations on digital payment applications such as Venmo and PayPal, which handle over 50 million consumer transactions each year, and another that reverses a rule limiting bank overdraft fees, according to the Times.
